During the French Revolution, the department changed its name three times before becoming Ardèche, in reference to the largest river that flows through it. A historical overview of how a territory’s name has changed over time.
The origins of the Ardèche
The creation of the Ardèche department, like the rest of France, dates back to 1790, a key period in the organisation of the contemporary national territory.
A distinctive feature of this unique territory: in just a few weeks, between January and March of the same year, the department touched on three different names from north to south, before settling on its main river.
Land of Vivarais
On 26 January 1790, an initial decree mentioned the department of Vivarais. The name refers to the historical region that was gradually incorporated into the Kingdom of France between the 13th and 14th centuries. It broadly corresponds to the geographical boundaries of the civil diocese of Viviers in the province of Languedoc.
- Map of the Diocese of Viviers (1781)
Sources of the Loire
A few days later, on 7 February 1790, the department known as Sources de la Loire was divided into seven districts, with France’s largest river as a reference point, whose source is at Mont Gerbier de Jonc on the Ardèche plateau.
Ardèche River
Finally, on 4 March 1790, the department of Ardèche was created according to the king’s letters patent, like the river of the same name that flows between Astet and Saint-Just-d’Ardèche.
- Map of the Ardèche (1790–1793)
Today, the Ardèche department is part of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and has:
- 335 municipalities
- 17 inter-municipal authorities (3 urban areas and 14 communities of municipalities)
- 3 parliamentary constituencies
- 17 cantons
The territory covers 5,529 km² with a population of 334,231 Ardèche residents recorded in 2023, or 60 inhabitants per km².
Map of Ardèche today: EPCI and population
Municipalities of Ardèche
As of 1 January 2025, the department has 335 towns and villages.
Here is the list of municipalities in Ardèche in alphabetical order:
- Accons
- Ailhon
- Aizac
- Ajoux
- Alba-la-Romaine
- Albon
- Alboussière
- Alissas
- Andance
- Annonay
- Arcens
- Ardoix
- Arlebosc
- Arras-sur-Rhône
- Les Assions
- Astet
- Aubenas
- Aubignas
- Baix
- Balazuc
- Banne
- Barnas
- Le Béage
- Beauchastel
- Beaulieu
- Beaumont
- Beauvène
- Belsente (fusion 2019 des Nonières et de Saint-Julien-Labrousse)
- Berrias-et-Casteljau
- Berzème
- Bessas
- Bidon
- Boffres
- Bogy
- Borée
- Borne
- Boucieu-le-Roi
- Boulieu-lès-Annonay
- Bourg-Saint-Andéol
- Bozas
- Brossainc
- Burzet
- Cellier-du-Luc
- Chalencon
- Chambon (Le)
- Chambonas
- Champagne
- Champis
- Chandolas
- Chanéac
- Charmes-sur-Rhône
- Charnas
- Chassiers
- Châteaubourg
- Châteauneuf-de-Vernoux
- Chauzon
- Chazeaux
- Cheminas
- Le Cheylard
- Chirols
- Chomérac
- Colombier-le-Cardinal
- Colombier-le-Jeune
- Colombier-le-Vieux
- Cornas
- Coucouron
- Coux
- Le-Crestet
- Creysseilles
- Cros-de-Géorand
- Cruas
- Darbres
- Davézieux
- Désaignes
- Devesset
- Dompnac
- Dornas
- Dunières-sur-Eyrieux
- Eclassan
- Empurany
- Etables
- Fabras
- Faugères
- Félines
- Flaviac
- Fons
- Freyssenet
- Genestelle
- Gilhac-et-Bruzac
- Gilhoc-sur-Ormèze
- Gluiras
- Glun
- Gourdon
- Gras
- Gravières
- Grospierres
- Guilherand-Granges
- Issamoulenc
- Issanlas
- Issarlès
- Jaujac
- Jaunac
- Joannas
- Joyeuse
- Juvinas
- Labastide-sur-Bésorgues
- Labastide-de-Virac
- Labatie-d’Andaure
- Labeaume
- Labégude
- Lablachère
- Laboule
- Lac-d’Issarlès
- Lachamp-Raphaël
- Lachapelle-sous-Aubenas
- Lachapelle-sous-Chanéac
- Lachapelle-Graillouse
- Lafarre
- Lagorce
- Lalevade-d’Ardèche
- Lalouvesc
- Lamastre
- Lanarce
- Lanas
- Largentière
- Larnas
- Laurac-en-Vivarais
- Lavillatte
- Lavilledieu
- Laviolle
- Lemps
- Lentillères
- Lespéron
- Limony
- Loubaresse
- Lussas
- Lyas
- Malarce-sur-la-Thines
- Malbosc
- Marcols-les-Eaux
- Mariac
- Mars
- Mauves
- Mayres
- Mazan-l’Abbaye
- Mercuer
- Meyras-Neyrac-les-Bains
- Meysse
- Mézilhac
- Mirabel
- Monestier (Le)
- Montpezat-sous-Bauzon
- Montréal
- Montselgues
- Nozières
- Les-Ollières-sur-Eyrieux
- Orgnac-l’Aven
- Ozon
- Pailharès
- Payzac
- Peaugres
- Péreyres
- Peyraud
- Le-Plagnal
- Planzolles
- Plats
- Pont-de-Labeaume
- Pourchères
- Le Pouzin
- Prades
- Pradons
- Pranles
- Préaux
- Privas
- Prunet
- Quintenas
- Ribes
- Rochecolombe
- Rochemaure
- Rochepaule
- Rocher
- Rochessauve
- La-Rochette
- Rocles
- Roiffieux
- Rompon
- Rosières
- Roux
- Ruoms
- Sablières
- Sagnes-et-Goudoulet
- Saint-Agrève
- Saint-Alban-Auriolles
- Saint-Alban-d’Ay
- Saint-Alban-en-Montagne
- Saint-Andéol-de-Berg
- Saint-Andéol-de-Fourchades
- Saint-Andéol-de-Vals
- Saint-André-de-Cruzières
- Saint-André-Lachamp
- Saint-André-en-Vivarais
- Saint-Apollinaire-de-Rias
- Saint-Barthélemy-Grozon
- Saint-Barthélemy-le-Meil
- Saint-Barthélemy-le-Plain
- Saint-Basile
- Saint-Bauzile
- Saint-Christol
- Saint-Cierge-la-Serre
- Saint-Cierge-sous-le-Cheylard
- Saint-Cirgues-de-Prades
- Saint-Cirgues-en-Montagne
- Saint-Clair
- Saint-Clément
- Saint-Cyr
- Saint-Désirat
- Saint-Didier-sous-Aubenas
- Saint-Etienne-de-Boulogne
- Saint-Etienne-de-Fontbellon
- Saint-Etienne-de-Lugdarès
- Saint-Etienne-de-Serre
- Saint-Etienne-de-Valoux
- Saint-Félicien
- Saint-Fortunat-sur-Eyrieux
- Saint-Genest-de-Beauzon
- Saint-Genest-Lachamp
- Saint-Georges-les-Bains
- Saint-Germain
- Saint-Gineis-en-Coiron
- Saint-Jacques-d’Atticieux
- Saint-Jean-le-Centenier
- Saint-Jean-Chambre
- Saint-Jean-de-Muzols
- Saint-Jean-Roure
- Saint-Jeure-d-Andaure
- Saint Jeure-d’Ay
- Saint-Joseph-des-Bancs
- Saint-Julien-d’Intres (fusion 2019 d’Intres et de Saint-Julien-Boutières)
- Saint-Julien-du-Gua
- Saint-Julien-le-Roux
- Saint-Julien-du-Serre
- Saint-Julien-en-Saint-Alban
- Saint-Julien-Vocance
- Saint-Just-d’Ardèche
- Saint-Lager-Bressac
- Saint-Laurent-les-Bains-Laval-d’Aurelle (fusion 2019 de Laval-d’Aurelle et de St-Laurent-les-Bains)
- Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron
- Saint-Laurent-du-Pape
- Saint-Marcel-les-Annonay
- Saint-Marcel-d’Ardèche
- Saint-Martial
- Saint-Martin-d’Ardèche
- Saint-Martin-sur-Lavezon
- Saint-Martin-de-Valamas
- Saint-Maurice-d’Ardèche
- Saint-Maurice-en-Chalencon
- Saint-Maurice-d’Ibie
- Saint-Mélany
- Saint Michel-d-Aurance
- Saint-Michel-de-Boulogne
- Saint-Michel-de-Chabrillanoux
- Saint-Montan
- Saint-Paul-le-Jeune
- Saint-Péray
- Saint-Pierre-de-Colombier
- Saint-Pierre-sur-Doux
- Saint-Pierre-la-Roche
- Saint-Pierre-Saint-Jean
- Saint-Pierreville
- Saint-Pons
- Saint-Priest
- Saint-Privat
- Saint-Prix
- Saint-Remèze
- Saint-Romain-d’Ay
- Saint-Romain-de-Lerps
- Saint-Sauveur-de-Cruzières
- Saint-Sauveur-de-Montagut
- Saint-Sernin
- Saint-Sylvestre
- Saint-Symphorien-sous-Chomérac
- Saint-Symphorien-de-Mahun
- Saint-Thomé
- Saint-Victor
- Saint-Vincent-de-Barrès
- Saint-Vincent-de-Durfort
- Sainte-Eulalie
- Sainte-Marguerite-Lafigère
- Salavas
- Les-Salelles
- Sampzon
- Sanilhac
- Sarras
- Satillieu
- Savas
- Sceautres
- Sécheras
- Serrières
- Silhac
- La-Souche
- Soyons
- Talencieux
- Tauriers
- Le Teil
- Thorrenc
- Thueyts
- Toulaud
- Tournon-sur-Rhône
- Ucel
- Usclades-et-Rieutord
- Uzer
- Vagnas
- Valgorge
- Vallées-d’Antraigues-Asperjoc (fusion 2019 d’Antraigues-sur-Volane et d’Asperjoc)
- Vallon-Pont-d’Arc
- Vals-les-Bains
- Valvignères
- Vanosc
- Les Vans
- Vaudevant
- Vernon
- Vernosc-lès-Annonay
- Vernoux-en-Vivarais
- Vesseaux
- Veyras
- Villeneuve-de-Berg
- Villevocance
- Vinezac
- Vinzieux
- Vion
- Viviers
- Vocance
- Vogüé
- La Voulte-sur-Rhône